A critique of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo�s model:
The puppet Macapagal regime
(1962-65)
Diosdado Macapagal, Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo�s late father and avowed model, was a rabid advocate of imperialist domination and exploitation of the Filipino people. It was under his government (1962-65) that some of the worst policies that opened up the economy to unlimited plunder by foreign monopoly capitalists, were implemented.
Macapagal�s life and record were marked by servility to US imperialism. Macapagal first worked for the largest American law firm (Ross, Lawrence, Selph and Carrascoso), and later with the Department of Foreign Affairs. Before he ran and won as congressman in 1948, he first served as assistant secretary of the Philippine embassy to Washington D.C. From 1950-53, Macapagal headed the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and was assigned as delegate to regional and international conferences sponsored by US imperialism. He was among those who drafted the US-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty and was a signatory to the Japanese Peace Treaty in 1951. Macapagal was also among those who signed the proimperialist and oppressive Laurel-Langley Agreement. These were among the worst and most unequal agreements entered into by the puppet republic in its entire history.
Because Macapagal�s candidacy for the presidency in 1961 was funded by US imperialism, then president Carlos P. Garcia was defeated despite his having spent government funds and resources for his own campaign. Macapagal�s platform of "free initiative" and "decentralization" was a grand deception. In fact, the US bankrolled parties to support Macapagal in exchange for their ardent compliance with imperialist dictates that were coursed through the World Bank and International Monetary Fund and the puppet regime�s American "advisers."
Under the Macapagal regime, pro-imperialist and antipeople policies not only continued, they were further strengthened. Following are some of these policies:
- Decontrol. As soon as he assumed office, Macapagal revoked controls over the operations of foreign corporations in the Philippines. He dismantled restrictions on foreign investments and allowed the free dumping of higher-priced foreign products. This was taken advantage of by the big comprador bourgeoisie and big landlords who exported massive volumes of raw materials and imported finished products on an unlimited scale.
- Devaluation. Because of decontrol, the cost of importing finished products, raw materials, spare parts, fuel and other goods from the US shot up. Eventually, the country�s dollar reserves dried up and the Macapagal regime was forced to devalue the peso from P2 to P3.90 vis a vis the dollar. The Philippines was obliged to accept a giant "stabilization fund" from US banks in the Philippines. Simultaneously, the prices of commodities soared, workers� wages shrunk and the people�s living conditions dove to new lows.
- Control of foreign investors over local funds. The Program Implementation Agency (PIA) and other lending agencies were set up to expedite foreign investors� access to credit from local banks. Due to strict US regulations on the export of dollars, US companies managed to expand their capitalization in the Philippines by drawing funds from US-controlled local banks.
- Upholding US foreign policy. Macapagal supported Maphilindo (Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia) to uphold his recognition and support for "Malaysia", which was formed by the US; and to coerce the Indonesian government of Sukarno into giving concessions to US corporations in Malaya and North Kalimantan. To pose himself as a champion of independent foreign policy, Macapagal junked the US-RP Treaty of General Relations while retaining other unequal agreements that expanded on this treaty.
- Collaborating with the US to amend the US-RP Military Bases Agreement. Although not ratified by the senate, Macapagal agreed to expand the jurisdiction of the commander of the US bases in the Philippines.
- Sending Filipino troops to join the US war of aggression against the Vietnamese people. The Macapagal government campaigned to support the US war of aggression against Vietnam. Macapagal�s call to send troops to Vietnam was supported by Filipino agents of the Central Intelligence Agency who had business interests in this war.
- Supporting the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Macapagal sponsored a conference in support of the ADB and even offered Manila as the site for its headquarters. This was to buttress the imperialist collaboration of the US and Japan, and to support Japan as the US� chief puppet in Asia. Imperialist policies designed to ensure that the Philippines and other Asian countries would remain as suppliers of cheap raw materials to the US and Japan are coursed through the ADB. It was in Macapagal�s time that Japan�s share in the country�s foreign trade rose to 20%.
- Changing independence day from July 4 to June 12. This aimed to conceal Macapagal�s blatantly pro-imperialist stance. The prevarication that the US "granted" independence to the Philippines on July 4 was replaced with another lie stating that Philippine independence was merely "returned" by the US on this date.
- Agricultural Land Reform Code. Macapagal declared that tenancy ran "against public policy" and promised to liberate the masses of tenants from this system. In actual fact, Macapagal guaranteed landlords "a fair price" for their lands acquired by the government. In contrast, lands for redistribution were priced way above what the farmer "beneficiaries" could afford. The tenants were not liberated, but subjected to another system of tenancy.
The regime�s puppetry to imperialism and its advocacy of the interests of big foreign and local capitalists and reactionaries were the highlights of Diosdado Macapagal�s government. Because of this, he was praised by reactionaries. Also because of this, he and the antipeople system he perpetrated were despised and resisted by the masses of the Filipino people.
The Macapagal-Arroyo regime�s proud reference to the Macapagal regime as its role model is pleasing to imperialism, and is no cause for the people to celebrate.
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